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{{Short description|City in Baden-Württemberg, Germany}}
{{About|the German city|the university|Heidelberg University|other uses}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Use American English|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox German location
|type = Stadt
| image_skyline            = {{multiple image
 | border = infobox
 | perrow = 2/2/1
 | total_width = 290
 | align = center
 | caption_align = center
 | image1 = Königstuhl, Heidelberg, U-17.jpg
 | caption1 = Heidelberg seen from [[#Philosophers' Walk|Philosophers' Walk]]
 | image2 = Baden-Württemberg Heidelberg Heiliggeistkirche 01.jpg
 | caption2 = [[Church of the Holy Spirit, Heidelberg|Church of the Holy Spirit]]
 | image3 = Schloss Heidelberg vom Karlsplatz gesehen.jpg
 | caption3 = [[Heidelberg Castle]]
 | image4 = Heidelberg, Alte Universität v S, 5.jpeg
 | caption4 = [[Old University, Heidelberg|Old University]]
 | image5 = Heidelberg DE (18778809608).jpg
 | caption5 = [[Old Bridge (Heidelberg)|Old Bridge]] at dawn
 }}
|image_coa = Wappen Heidelberg.svg 
| image_flag = Flag of Heidelberg.svg
|coordinates = {{coord|49|25|N|08|43|E|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|German_name = <small>{{native name|pfl|Heidlberg}}</small>
|Karte =
|image_plan =
|state = Baden-Württemberg
|region = Karlsruhe
|district = urban
|elevation = 114
|area = 108.83
|postal_code = 69115–69126
|Gemeindeschlüssel = 08 2 21 000
|area_code = 06221
|licence = HD
|website = {{URL|https://www.heidelberg.de/|heidelberg.de}}
|mayor = Eckart Würzner<ref>[https://www.staatsanzeiger.de/wahl/oberbuergermeisterwahl-heidelberg-2022/ Oberbürgermeisterwahl Heidelberg 2022], Staatsanzeiger.</ref>
|leader_term       = 2022&ndash;30
|Bürgermeistertitel= Oberbürgermeister
|party = independent
}}

'''Heidelberg''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|h|aɪ|d|ə|l|b|ɜːr|g}};<ref>{{Cite Collins Dictionary|Heidelberg}}</ref> {{IPA|de|ˈhaɪdl̩bɛʁk|lang|Heidelberg-Aussprache.ogg}}; {{langx|pfl|Heidlberg}}) is the [[List of cities in Baden-Württemberg by population|fifth-largest city]] in the [[States of Germany|German state]] of [[Baden-Württemberg]], and with a population of about 163,000, of which roughly a quarter consists of students,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.uni-heidelberg.de/universitaet/statistik/studierende.html|title=Daten und Fakten – Studierende und Wissenschaftlicher Nachwuchs – Universität Heidelberg|last=Albers|first=Jürgen|website=www.uni-heidelberg.de|access-date=15 April 2018}}</ref> it is [[List of cities in Germany by population|Germany's 51st-largest city]]. Located about {{convert|78|km|0|abbr=on}} south of [[Frankfurt]], Heidelberg is part of the densely populated [[Rhine-Neckar|Rhine-Neckar Metropolitan Region]] which has its centre in [[Mannheim]].

Heidelberg is located on the [[Neckar River]], at the point where it leaves its narrow valley between the [[Oden Forest]] and the [[Kleiner Odenwald|Little Oden Forest]], and enters the wide [[Upper Rhine Plain]]. The old town lies in the valley, the end of which is flanked by the [[Königstuhl (Odenwald)|Königstuhl]] in the south and the [[Heiligenberg (Heidelberg)|Heiligenberg]] in the north. The majority of the population lives in the districts west of the mountains in the Upper Rhine Plain, into which the city has expanded over time.

[[Heidelberg University]], founded in 1386, is Germany's oldest and one of Europe's most reputable universities.<ref>Its latest overall ranking positions range from 5th to 18th in Europe; the peer review scores, reflecting academic esteem, are usually higher. It was never ranked outside Europe's top 20 by any major university ranking. See [[Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg#Academic profile|rankings]].</ref> Heidelberg is a [[Science|scientific hub]] in Germany and home to several internationally renowned [[#Research|research facilities]] adjacent to its university, including the [[European Molecular Biology Laboratory]] and four [[Max Planck Society|Max Planck Institutes]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.uni-heidelberg.de/institutions/non_university.html|title=Non-University Research Institutions – Heidelberg University|last=Stiefel|first=Catherine|website=www.uni-heidelberg.de|access-date=11 January 2017|archive-date=9 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161209235922/http://www.uni-heidelberg.de/institutions/non_university.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> The city has also been a hub for the arts, especially literature, throughout the centuries, and it was designated a "[[City of Literature]]" by the [[UNESCO]] [[Creative Cities Network]].

Heidelberg was a seat of government of the former [[Electorate of the Palatinate]] and is a popular [[tourism|tourist destination]] due to its [[Romanticism|romantic]] cityscape, including [[Heidelberg Castle]], the [[#Philosophers' Walk|Philosophers' Walk]], and the [[Baroque]] old town.

==Geography==
[[File:Heidelberg Stadtteile 2012.svg|thumb|right|The districts of Heidelberg]]

Heidelberg is located on the eastern edge of the [[Upper Rhine Plain]] ({{langx|de|Oberrheinebene}}), at the place where the river [[Neckar]] leaves its narrow valley through the [[Odenwald]] mountains and begins the last leg of its journey across the plain towards [[Mannheim]], where it merges into the [[Rhine]] about 20 kilometers downstream.

A part of Heidelberg, including the historical old town and the famous [[Heidelberg Castle]], is located in the narrow Neckar valley. Other parts (mostly quarters from around the 19th century or newer, or originally independent, later incorporated villages) sprawl out into the Rhine Plain and along the [[Bergstraße (route)|Bergstraße]] ({{lit|mountain road}}), the narrow strip of characteristic landscape along the sharp border between the plain and the Odenwald mountains.

The town is bordered by the [[Königstuhl (Odenwald)|Königstuhl]] (568 m), the [[Gaisberg (Heidelberg)|Gaisberg]] (375 m), and the [[Heiligenberg (Heidelberg)|Heiligenberg]] (445 m) mountains.

Heidelberg is on [[European walking route E1]] (Sweden-[[Umbria]]).
[[File:Heidelberg from the Königstuhl.jpg|thumb|Heidelberg seen from [[Königstuhl (Odenwald)|Königstuhl]]]]

===Flora and fauna===
Heidelberg is among the warmest regions of Germany, and plants atypical of the [[Central Europe|central-European]] climate flourish there, including [[almond]] and [[Common fig|fig trees]], and many kinds of [[palm trees]] and [[olive trees]]. Alongside the {{lang|de|Philosophenweg}} {{gloss|mode=def|Philosophers' Walk}} on the opposite side of the Old Town, [[winegrowing]] was restarted in 2000.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hilfe-hd.de/rohrbach/wein.htm |title=Heidelberg-Rohrbach: Wein, Reben und Winzer |publisher=Hilfe-hd.de |access-date=8 November 2012}}</ref>

There is a wild population of African [[rose-ringed parakeet]]s,<ref>Stefanie Wegener: ''Verbreitung und Arealnutzung der Halsbandsittiche (Psittacula krameri) in Heidelberg'', published by: Ornithologische Gesellschaft Baden-Württemberg e.&nbsp;V., [http://www.ogbw.de/doc/Abstract_WegenerSittiche.pdf Ornithol. Jh. Bad.-Württ. 23: 39–55 (2007)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719070417/http://www.ogbw.de/doc/Abstract_WegenerSittiche.pdf |date=19 July 2011 }}</ref> and a wild population of [[Siberia]]n [[swan goose|swan geese]], which can be seen mainly on the islands in the [[Neckar]] near the district of Bergheim.

===Administrative structures===
[[File:Altstadt Heidelberg.jpg|thumb|left|The Old Town]]

Heidelberg is a [[Unitary authority#Germany|unitary authority]] within the [[Karlsruhe (region)|Regierungsbezirk Karlsruhe]]. The [[Rhein-Neckar-Kreis]] rural district surrounds it and has its seat in the town, although the town is not a part of the district. Heidelberg is a part of the Rhine-Neckar Metropolitan Region, often referred to as the [[Rhein-Neckar-Triangle|Rhein-Neckar Triangle]].

This region consists of the southern part of the [[States of Germany|State]] of [[Hessen]], the southern part of the State of [[Rhineland-Palatinate]] ({{lang|de|Vorderpfalz}}), the administrative districts of [[Mannheim]] and Heidelberg, and the municipalities of the [[Rhein-Neckar-Kreis]]. The Rhein-Neckar Triangle became a European [[metropolitan area]] in 2005.

Heidelberg consists of 15 districts distributed in six sectors of the town. In the central area are Altstadt (the Old Town), [[Heidelberg-Bergheim|Bergheim]] and [[Weststadt, Heidelberg|Weststadt]]; in the north, Neuenheim and Handschuhsheim; in the east, [[Heidelberg-Ziegelhausen|Ziegelhausen]] and Schlierbach; in the south, [[Heidelberg-Südstadt|Südstadt]], [[Rohrbach, Heidelberg|Rohrbach]], Emmertsgrund, and Boxberg; in the southwest, [[Heidelberg-Kirchheim|Kirchheim]]; in the west, Pfaffengrund, Wieblingen, and a new district, named {{lang|de|Bahnstadt}}, is built on land in Weststadt and Wieblingen. The new district will have approximately 5,000–6,000 residents and employment for 7,000. Further, new residential space for 10,000–15,000 residents was made available in Patrick Henry Village following the departure of the US Armed Forces.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.heidelberg.de/Konversion,Lde/Startseite+Konversion.html|title=Konversion Heidelberg – Startseite Konversion|website=www.heidelberg.de}}</ref>

===Neighbouring communes===
The following towns and [[Commune (administrative division)|commune]]s border the city of Heidelberg, beginning in the west and in a clockwise direction: [[Edingen-Neckarhausen]], [[Dossenheim]], [[Schriesheim]], [[Wilhelmsfeld]], [[Schönau (Odenwald)|Schönau]], [[Neckargemünd]], [[Bammental]], [[Gaiberg]], [[Leimen (Baden)|Leimen]], [[Sandhausen]], [[Oftersheim]], [[Plankstadt]], [[Eppelheim]] (all part of the [[Rhein-Neckar-Kreis]]), and [[Mannheim]].

===Climate===
Heidelberg has an [[oceanic climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]] ''Cfb''), defined by the protected valley between the Pfälzerwald and the Odenwald. The almost year round warm temperatures are usually determined by [[Atlantic]] air masses in the winter and increased influence from the western [[Mediterranean]] in summer.
In contrast to the nearby [[Upper Rhine Plain]], Heidelberg's position in the valley leads to more frequent easterly winds than average. The hillsides of the Odenwald favor clouding and precipitation.

Spring starts earlier than the average in Germany (usually mid February in the recent years). While the weather in spring is typically warm, it is also known to change far more often than in the summer.

Summer starts typically in June and stays until September. In this time the weather is typically stable, with single thunderstorms marking the only precipitation. Day temperatures of around 30 °C are typical, but can reach up to 40 °C during heat waves.

Autumn starts warm in September and cools down to typical winter temperatures for the region by the end of November. Precipitation levels begin to increase and, due to the decreasing sunlight, the region is affected by fog more frequently from the second part of October onwards.

Winters are mostly mild, though light nighttime frosts do occur in the coldest months. Snow is a rare event, and precipitation normally falls as rain. Winters are the wettest time of the year, with frequent western winds blowing from the Atlantic. Storms ("Orkane") can create severe damage, and the Neckar is often affected by floods.{{Citation needed|date=February 2024|reason=This paragraph is totally unreferenced.}}

According to the [[Deutscher Wetterdienst|German Meteorological Service]], Heidelberg was the warmest place in Germany in 2009.<ref>Mechthild Henneke: ''Wetterextreme in Deutschland 2009''. In: ''[[Südkurier]]'', 28. April 2010</ref><ref>''Kreisbeschreibung Bd. 1'', S. 54ff</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.klimadiagramme.de/Deutschland/heidelberg2.html|title=Das Klima in Heidelberg|website=www.klimadiagramme.de}}</ref>

{{Weather box|width=auto
|metric first=y
|single line=y 
|collapsed = Y
|location =  Heidelberg (1991–2010 normals, extremes 1935–2012)
|Jan record high C = 16.2
|Feb record high C = 20.0
|Mar record high C = 25.4
|Apr record high C = 31.4
|May record high C = 34.0
|Jun record high C = 38.1
|Jul record high C = 39.5
|Aug record high C = 38.8
|Sep record high C = 34.7
|Oct record high C = 28.5
|Nov record high C = 21.4
|Dec record high C = 18.5
|Jan record low C = -26.0
|Feb record low C = -21.5
|Mar record low C = -12.0
|Apr record low C = -5.0
|May record low C = -1.1
|Jun record low C = 3.5
|Jul record low C = 6.0
|Aug record low C = 5.7
|Sep record low C = 0.7
|Oct record low C = -3.2
|Nov record low C = -7.6
|Dec record low C = -18.8
|Jan high C = 5.1
|Feb high C = 7.0
|Mar high C = 11.5
|Apr high C = 16.4
|May high C = 20.7
|Jun high C = 24.0
|Jul high C = 26.0
|Aug high C = 25.7
|Sep high C = 20.8
|Oct high C = 15.3
|Nov high C = 9.3
|Dec high C = 5.4
| year high C = 
|Jan mean C = 2.6
|Feb mean C = 3.9
|Mar mean C = 7.5
|Apr mean C = 11.4
|May mean C = 15.7
|Jun mean C = 18.7
|Jul mean C = 20.7
|Aug mean C = 20.2
|Sep mean C = 16.0
|Oct mean C = 11.4
|Nov mean C = 6.6
|Dec mean C = 3.2
| year mean C = 
|Jan low C = 0.0
|Feb low C = 0.9
|Mar low C = 3.7
|Apr low C = 6.5
|May low C = 10.6
|Jun low C = 13.5
|Jul low C = 15.7
|Aug low C = 15.2
|Sep low C = 11.5
|Oct low C = 7.9
|Nov low C = 4.0
|Dec low C = 0.8
| year low C = 
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 43.6
|Feb precipitation mm = 48.5
|Mar precipitation mm = 56.7
|Apr precipitation mm = 46.9
|May precipitation mm = 71.5
|Jun precipitation mm = 65.7
|Jul precipitation mm = 80.1
|Aug precipitation mm = 66.0
|Sep precipitation mm = 57.0
|Oct precipitation mm = 62.1
|Nov precipitation mm = 64.9
|Dec precipitation mm = 60.7
|year precipitation mm = 
|unit precipitation days = 0.1 mm
| Jan precipitation days = 14.4
| Feb precipitation days = 14.2
| Mar precipitation days = 15.0
| Apr precipitation days = 12.8
| May precipitation days = 13.9
| Jun precipitation days = 13.4
| Jul precipitation days = 14.9
| Aug precipitation days = 13.5
| Sep precipitation days = 13.0
| Oct precipitation days = 14.4
| Nov precipitation days = 16.7
| Dec precipitation days = 17.0
| year precipitation days =
|Jan sun = 46.0
|Feb sun = 78.2
|Mar sun = 118.0
|Apr sun = 173.3
|May sun = 206.0
|Jun sun = 214.6
|Jul sun = 233.1
|Aug sun = 218.5
|Sep sun = 157.6
|Oct sun = 101.4
|Nov sun = 50.8
|Dec sun = 35.5
|year sun = 1633.0
|Jan humidity = 78.5
|Feb humidity = 75.2
|Mar humidity = 69.3
|Apr humidity = 63.5
|May humidity = 65.2
|Jun humidity = 64.8
|Jul humidity = 64.5
|Aug humidity = 65.7
|Sep humidity = 71.6
|Oct humidity = 77.0
|Nov humidity = 81.1
|Dec humidity = 80.9
|source 1 = SKlima<ref name=sklima>{{cite web 
|url = http://sklima.de/datenbank_auswertung.php?tab=2
|title = Monatsauswertung 
|website = sklima.de 
|publisher = SKlima 
|language = de 
|access-date = 12 December 2024}}</ref>
|source 2 = Wetterzentrale<ref name= wetterzentrale1>{{cite web
|url = https://www.wetterzentrale.de/extremes_mon.php?station=2080&maand=1&country=1&order=1&extreem=X_TX
|title = Monthly records - Tagesmaximum Temp. (Heidelberg)
|publisher = DWD
|language = de
|access-date = 12 December 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|url = https://www.wetterzentrale.de/extremes_mon.php?station=2080&maand=1&country=1&order=1&extreem=X_TN
|title = Monthly records - Tagesminimum Temp. (Heidelberg)
|publisher = DWD
|language = de
|access-date = 12 December 2024}}</ref>[[Deutscher Wetterdienst]] (sun 1981–2010)<ref name=DWD2>{{Cite web
|url=https://www.dwd.de/DE/leistungen/klimadatendeutschland/mittelwerte/sonne_8110_SV_html.html;jsessionid=F239C744A75363793A2A04DC1657A986.live21071?view=nasPublication&nn=16102
|title= Sonnenscheindauer: vieljährige Mittelwerte 1981-2010
|website=www.dwd.de
|access-date=29 September 2024}}</ref>
}}

==History==
[[File:Heidelberg nachts.jpg|thumb|Heidelberg on the Neckar at night]]{{Main|History of Heidelberg}}

===Early history===
Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago,{{Citation needed|date=April 2010}} "[[Homo heidelbergensis|Heidelberg Man]]" died at nearby [[Mauer (Baden)|Mauer]]. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907. Scientific dating determined his remains as the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a [[Celts|Celtic]] fortress of refuge and place of worship were built on the {{lang|de|Heiligenberg}}, or "Holy Mountain". Both places can still be identified. In 40 AD, a fort was built and occupied by the 24th Roman cohort and the 2nd [[Cyrenaican]] cohort (CCG XXIIII and CCH II CYR). The late Roman Emperor [[Valentinian I]], in 369 AD, built new and maintained older ''[[castra]]'' (permanent camps) and a signal tower on the bank of the [[Neckar]]. They built a wooden bridge based on stone pillars across it. The camp protected the first civilian settlements and was eventually captured by [[Germanic people|Germanic tribes]]. The local administrative centre in Roman times was the nearby city of Lopodunum, today known as [[Ladenburg]].

===Middle Ages===
[[File:Carl Blechen 003.jpg|thumb|[[Heidelberg Castle]], here shown in a painting by [[Carl Blechen]], was destroyed by the French during the [[Nine Years' War|war of the succession]] of the [[Electorate of the Palatinate]].]]
Modern Heidelberg can trace its beginnings to the fifth century. The village {{lang|de|Bergheim}} {{gloss|mode=def|Mountain Home}} is first mentioned for that period in documents dated to 769 AD. {{lang|de|Bergheim}} now lies in the middle of modern Heidelberg. The people gradually converted to Christianity. In 870 AD, the [[monastery]] of [[St. Michael]] was founded on the [[Heiligenberg (Heidelberg)|Heiligenberg]] inside the double rampart of the Celtic fortress. Around 1130, the Neuburg Monastery was founded in the Neckar valley. At the same time, the [[bishopric]] of [[Worms, Germany|Worms]] extended its influence into the valley, founding [[Schönau Abbey (Odenwald)|Schönau Abbey]] in 1142. Modern Heidelberg can trace its roots to this 12th-century monastery. The first reference to Heidelberg can be found in a document in Schönau Abbey dated to 1196. This is considered to be the town's founding date. In 1156, Heidelberg castle and its neighboring settlement were taken over by the house of [[Hohenstaufen]]. [[Conrad of Hohenstaufen]] became [[Count Palatine of the Rhine]] ({{langx|de|link=no|Pfalzgraf bei Rhein}}). In 1195, the [[Electorate of the Palatinate]] passed to the [[House of Welf]] through marriage. In 1214, [[Louis I, Duke of Bavaria|Ludwig I, Duke of Bavaria]] acquired the Palatinate, as a consequence of which the castle came under his control. By 1303, another castle had been constructed for defense. In 1356, the Counts Palatine were granted far-reaching rights in the [[Golden Bull of 1356|Golden Bull]], in addition to becoming [[Prince-elector|Electors]]. In 1386, [[Heidelberg University]] was founded by [[Rupert I, Elector Palatine]].<ref>Heike Hawicks / Ingo Runde: Heidelberg and the Holy See – from the Late Medieval Reform Councils to the Reformation in the Electoral Palatinate, in: 1517. Le università e la Riforma protestante. Studi e ricerche nel quinto anniversario delle tesi luterane (Studi e ricerche sull'università), ed. Simona Negruzzo, Bologna 2018, S. 33–54.</ref>

===Modern history===
Heidelberg University played a leading part in Medieval [[Scholasticism]], [[Renaissance humanism in Northern Europe|Renaissance humanism]], the [[German Reformation]], and in the subsequent conflict between [[Lutheranism]] and [[Calvinism]] during the 15th and 16th centuries. In April 1518, a few months after proclaiming his ''[[Ninety-five Theses]]'', [[Martin Luther]] was received in Heidelberg, to defend them.

Heidelberg's library, founded in 1421, is the oldest existing public library in Germany.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Heidelberg University Library - Heidelberg University Library |url=https://www.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/en |access-date=2025-03-05 |website=www.ub.uni-heidelberg.de}}</ref>

In 1537, the castle located higher up the mountain was destroyed by a gunpowder explosion. The duke's palace was built at the site of the lower castle.{{clarify|date=June 2022}}

[[File:Belagerung Heidelbergs C-L 205.jpg|thumb|The siege of Heidelberg 1622]]

[[Elector Frederick III]], sovereign of the [[Electoral Palatinate]] from 1559 to 1576, commissioned the composition of a new [[Catechism]] for his territory. While the catechism's introduction credits the "entire theological faculty here" (at the [[University of Heidelberg]]) and "all the superintendents and prominent servants of the church" for the composition of the Catechism, [[Zacharias Ursinus|Zacharius Ursinus]] is commonly regarded as the catechism's principal author. [[Caspar Olevianus]] (1536–1587) was formerly asserted as a co-author of the document, though this theory has been largely discarded by modern scholarship. [[Johann Sylvan]], [[Adam Neuser]], Johannes Willing, [[Thomas Erastus]], Michael Diller, Johannes Brunner, Tilemann Mumius, Petrus Macheropoeus, Johannes Eisenmenger, [[Immanuel Tremellius]], and [[Pierre Boquin]] are all likely to have contributed to the Catechism in some way. Frederick himself wrote the preface to the Catechism and closely oversaw its composition and publication. Frederick, who was officially Lutheran but had strong Reformed leanings, wanted to even out the religious situation of his highly Lutheran territory within the primarily Catholic [[Holy Roman Empire]]. The [[Council of Trent]] had just concluded with its conclusions and decrees against the Protestant faiths, and the [[Peace of Augsburg]] had only granted toleration for [[Lutheranism]] within the empire where the ruler was Lutheran. One of the aims of the catechism was to counteract the teachings of the [[Roman Catholic Church]] as well as [[Anabaptism|Anabaptists]] and "strict" [[Gnesio-Lutherans]] like [[Tilemann Heshusius]] and [[Matthias Flacius]], who were resisting Frederick's Reformed influences, particularly on the matter of Eucharist ([[Eucharist|the Lord's Supper]]). The Catechism-based each of its statements on biblical [[Prooftext|proof-texts]], and Frederick himself would defend it as biblical, not reformed, at the 1566 [[Diet of Augsburg]] when he was called to answer to charges of violating the Peace of Augsburg. This was the [[Heidelberg Catechism]], officially called the ″Catechism, or Christian Instruction, according to the Usages of the Churches and Schools of the Electoral [[Palatinate (region)|Palatinate]].″
[[File:2002-04-02 Hauptstraße, Heidelberg IMG 0404.jpg|thumb|Main street Heidelberg]]
[[File:Heidelberg Old Bridge.jpg|thumb|[[Old Bridge (Heidelberg)|Old Bridge Gate]]]]

In November 1619, the Royal [[Crown of Bohemia]] was offered to the Elector, [[Frederick V of the Palatinate|Frederick V]]. (He was married to [[Elizabeth of Bohemia|Princess Elizabeth]], eldest daughter of [[James VI and I]] of Scotland and England, respectively.) Frederick became known as the "Winter King", as he reigned for only one winter before the Imperial [[House of Habsburg]] regained Bohemia by force. His overthrow in 1621 marked the beginning of the [[Thirty Years' War]]. In 1622, after a [[Siege of Heidelberg (1622)|siege of two months]], the armies of the [[Catholic League (German)|Catholic League]], commanded by [[Johann Tserclaes, Count of Tilly]], captured the town. Tilly gave the famous ''[[Bibliotheca Palatina]]'' from the [[Church of the Holy Spirit, Heidelberg|Church of the Holy Spirit]] to the Pope as a present. The Catholic and Bavarian [[House of Wittelsbach]] gained control over the Palatinate and the title of Prince-Elector.
[[File:Hotelritter.jpg|thumb|left|Hotel zum Ritter St. Georg]]
[[File:Alte Bruecke Heidelberg von Konrad Linck 1788.jpg|thumb|left|Old Bridge, Konrad Linck, 1788]]

In late 1634, after the Swedish army had conquered Heidelberg, imperial forces attempted to recapture the city. They quickly took the city, but were unable to take the castle. As they prepared to blow up its fortifications with gunpowder the French army arrived, 30,000 men strong, led by [[Urbain de Maillé-Brézé]], who had fought in many battles and participated in the [[Siege of La Rochelle]] (1627–1628), and [[Jacques-Nompar de Caumont, duc de La Force]]. They broke the siege and drove off the Imperial forces.<ref>Helfferich, Tryntje, The Thirty Years War: A Documentary History (Cambridge, 2009), pp. 289–90.</ref>

In 1648, at the end of the war, Frederick V's son [[Charles I Louis]], Elector Palatine, was able to recover his titles and lands. To strengthen his dynasty, Charles I Louis arranged the marriage of his daughter [[Elizabeth Charlotte, Madame Palatine|Liselotte]] to [[Philip I, Duke of Orléans]], brother of [[Louis XIV]], King of France. In 1685, after the death of Charles Louis' son, Elector [[Charles II, Elector Palatine|Charles II]], King Louis XIV laid claim to his sister-in-law's inheritance. The Germans rejected the claim, in part because of religious differences between local Protestants and the French Catholics, as the [[Protestant Reformation]] had divided the peoples of Europe. The [[War of the Grand Alliance]] ensued. In 1689, French troops took the town and castle, bringing nearly total destruction to the area in 1693. As a result of the destruction due to repeated French invasions related to the [[War of the Palatinate Succession]] coupled with severe winters, thousands of German Calvinist Palatines emigrated in the early 18th century. They fled to other European cities and especially to London (where the refugees were called "the poor Palatines"). In sympathy for the Protestants, in 1709–1710, [[Anne, Queen of Great Britain|Queen Anne's]] government arranged transport for nearly 6,000 Palatines to New York. Others were transported to [[Pennsylvania]], and to [[South Carolina]]. They worked their passage and later settled in the English colonies there.

In 1720, after assigning a major church for exclusively Catholic use, religious conflicts with the mostly Protestant inhabitants of Heidelberg caused the Roman Catholic Prince-Elector [[Charles III Philip]] to transfer his court to nearby [[Mannheim]]. The court remained there until the Elector [[Charles Theodore, Elector of Bavaria|Charles Theodore]] became [[Rulers of Bavaria|Elector of Bavaria]] in 1777 and established his court in [[Munich]]. In 1742, Elector Charles Theodore began rebuilding the Palace. In 1764, a lightning bolt destroyed other palace buildings during reconstruction, causing the work to be discontinued.

===1803 to 1933===
Heidelberg fell to the [[Grand Duchy of Baden]] in 1803. [[Charles Frederick, Grand Duke of Baden]], re-founded the university, named "Ruperto-Carola" after its two founders. Notable scholars soon earned it a reputation as a "royal residence of the intellect". In the 18th century, the town was rebuilt in the Baroque style on the old medieval layout.

In 1810 the [[French Revolution]] refugee Count Charles Graimberg began to preserve the palace [[ruins]] and establish a historical collection. In 1815, the emperor of [[Austria]], the emperor of Russia and the king of [[Prussia]] formed the "[[Holy Alliance]]" in Heidelberg. In 1848, the German National Assembly was held there. In 1849, during the Palatinate-Baden rebellion of the [[Revolutions of 1848 in the German states|1848 Revolutions]], Heidelberg was the headquarters of a revolutionary army. It was defeated by a Prussian army near Waghaeusel. The city was occupied by Prussian troops until 1850. Between 1920 and 1933, Heidelberg University became a center of notable physicians Czerny, Erb, and Krehl; and humanists Rohde, Weber, and Gundolf.<ref>Hartmut Ellrich, Photographic Documents: ''Das historische Heidelberg''. Imhof. ISBN 978-3-86568-505-6</ref>

===Nazism and the World War II period===
During the Nazi period (1933–1945), Heidelberg was a stronghold of the [[NSDAP]]/Nazi party (the National Socialist German Workers' Party), the strongest party in the elections before 1933 (the NSDAP obtained 30% at the communal elections of 1930<ref>{{harvnb|Cser|2007|pp=209–10}})</ref>). The NSDAP received 45.9% of the votes in the [[German federal election, March 1933|German federal election of March 1933]] (the national average was 43.9%).<ref>{{harvnb|Cser|2007|p=229}})</ref>
In 1934 and 1935 the {{lang|de|Reichsarbeitsdienst}} {{gloss|mode=def|State Labor Service}} and Heidelberg University students built the huge [[Heidelberg Thingstätte|''Thingstätte'' amphitheatre]] on the {{lang|de|Heiligenberg}} north of the town, for [[Nazi Party]] and [[SS]] events. A few months later, the inauguration of the huge Ehrenfriedhof memorial cemetery completed the second and last NSDAP project in Heidelberg. This cemetery is on the southern side of the old part of town, a little south of the [[Königstuhl (Odenwald)|Königstuhl]] hilltop, and faces west towards France. During World War II and after, [[Wehrmacht]] soldiers were buried there.

[[File:Heidelberger Synagogenplatz 2.JPG|thumb|Memorial stone marking the site of the synagogue in the Lauerstrasse]]
During the ''[[Kristallnacht]]'' on 9 November 1938, Nazis burned down synagogues at two locations in the city. The next day, they started the systematic deportation of Jews, sending 150 to [[Dachau concentration camp]]. On 22 October 1940, during the "Wagner Buerckel event", the Nazis deported 6000 local Jews, including 281 from Heidelberg, to [[Camp Gurs]] concentration camp in France. Within a few months, as many as 1000 of them (201 from Heidelberg) died of hunger and disease.<ref>{{harvnb|Cser|2007|pp=246–8}}</ref> Among the deportees from Heidelberg, the poet [[Alfred Mombert]] (1872–1942) left the [[nazi concentration camp|concentration camp]] in April 1941 thanks to the Swiss poet Hans Reinhart but died shortly thereafter due to illness he contracted while held prisoner.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.blb-karlsruhe.de/sammlungen/alte-drucke-und-rara/bestand/nachlassbibliotheken/#c599|title=Alfred Mombert|work=Badische Landesbibliothek|language=de|archive-date=19 September 2018|url-status=dead|access-date=19 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180919171757/https://www.blb-karlsruhe.de/sammlungen/alte-drucke-und-rara/bestand/nachlassbibliotheken/#c599}}</ref> From 1942, the deportees who had survived internment in Gurs were deported to Eastern Europe, where most of them were murdered.

The U.S. [[44th Infantry Division (United States)|44th Infantry Division]] took part in combat in Western Europe throughout 1944 and early 1945, and the division's artillery commander, Brigadier General [[William A. Beiderlinden]], became the subject of international headlines in March 1945, when he helped save Heidelberg from bombing by persuading Nazi troops to withdraw.<ref name="St. Joseph News-Press-1981">{{cite news |date=17 May 1981 |title=Death Notice, Maj. Gen. William Beiderlinden |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/st-joseph-news-press-obituary-for-willi/117758052/ |work=[[St. Joseph News-Press]] |location=St. Joseph, MO |page=10 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> When his command was ordered to shell the city, Beiderlinden took the initiative to contact the [[burgomaster]] and attempt to persuade Nazi soldiers to abandon their positions.<ref name="St. Joseph News-Press-1981"/> Though burgomasters were forbidden from conducting such talks, Heidelberg's burgomaster ignored warnings from the local Nazi [[gauleiter]] and discussed the matter with Beiderlinden.<ref name="St. Joseph News-Press-1981"/> The negotiations focused on the importance of sparing [[Heidelberg University]] and other historic and culturally significant sites.<ref name="St. Joseph News-Press-1981"/> Beiderlinden and the burgomaster agreed to terms, and the Nazis spared the city by evacuating.<ref name="St. Joseph News-Press-1981"/>

On 29 March 1945, German troops left the city after destroying three arches of the old bridge, Heidelberg's treasured river crossing. They also destroyed the more modern bridge downstream. The U.S. Army ([[63rd Infantry Division (United States)|63rd Infantry]], 7th Army) entered the town on 30 March 1945. The civilian population surrendered without resistance.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Kleine Heidelberger Stadtgeschichte |last=Fink |first=Oliver |year=2005 |publisher=Pustet |isbn=978-3-7917-1971-9 }}</ref>

Heidelberg, unlike most German cities and towns, was spared from Allied bombing raids during the war. A popular belief is that Heidelberg escaped bombing because the U.S. Army wanted to use the city as a garrison after the war, but, as Heidelberg was neither an industrial center nor a transport hub, it did not present a tactical or strategic target. Other notable university towns, such as [[Tübingen]] and [[Göttingen]], were spared bombing as well. Allied air raids focused extensively on the nearby industrial cities of [[Mannheim]] and [[Ludwigshafen]].

The U.S. Army may have chosen Heidelberg as a garrison base because of its excellent infrastructure, including the Heidelberg–Mannheim [[Autobahn]] (motorway), which connected to the Mannheim–Darmstadt–Frankfurt Autobahn, and the U.S. Army installations in [[Mannheim]] and [[Frankfurt]]. The intact rail infrastructure was more important in the late 1940s and early 1950s when most heavy loads were still carried by train, not by truck. Heidelberg had the untouched Wehrmacht barracks, the "Grossdeutschland Kaserne" which the US Army occupied soon after, renaming it the [[Campbell Barracks]].

===History after 1945===
In 1945, the university was reopened relatively quickly on the initiative of a small group of professors, among whom were the anti-Nazi economist [[Alfred Weber]] and the philosopher [[Karl Jaspers]].<ref>{{harvnb|Remy|2002|page=240}}</ref> The surgeon Karl Heinrich Bauer was nominated rector.

On 9 December 1945, US Army General [[George S. Patton]] was involved in a car accident in the adjacent city of [[Mannheim]] and died in the Heidelberg US Army hospital on 21 December 1945. His funeral ceremony was held at the Heidelberg-Weststadt {{lang|de|Christuskirche}} {{gloss|mode=def|Christ Church}}, and he was buried in the 3rd Army cemetery in [[Luxembourg]].<ref>[[George S. Patton#Accident and death]]</ref>

During the post-war [[military occupation]], the [[U.S. Army]] used the {{lang|de|[[Heidelberg Thingstätte|Thingstätte]]}} for cultural and religious events. Civilian use started in the early to mid-1980s for occasional concerts and other cultural events. Today, the celebrations on {{langnf|de|Hexennacht|Witches' Night}}, also called [[Walpurgis Night]], the night of 30 April, are a regular "underground" fixture at the {{lang|de|Thingstätte}}. Thousands of mostly young people congregate there to drum, to breathe fire, and to juggle. The event has gained fame throughout the region, as well as a certain notoriety due to the amount of litter left behind. Officially, this event is forbidden due to security concerns. The City declares it will fence the Thingstätte and prosecute any trespassers.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.heidelberg.de/walpurgisnacht |publisher=City of Heidelberg |access-date=25 January 2022|title=Stadt untersagt Feier zur Walpurgisnacht }}</ref>

==Population==
[[File:Heidelberg population.svg|thumb|Population growth]]

The population of the city of Heidelberg exceeded 100,000 for the first time in 1946. It is a city with an international population, including one of the largest American communities outside North America, but this factor is not included in official city statistics. In December 2011, the city had 149,633 inhabitants with an official primary residence in Heidelberg (not including the soldiers and employees of the U.S. Army and their dependents, a total of about 20,000 people), a historic high.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.statistik.baden-wuerttemberg.de/SRDB/Tabelle.asp?01035050GE221000 |publisher=Statistical office of the state of Baden-Württemberg |title=Population of city of Heidelberg |access-date=25 July 2012 |language=de |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081207050411/http://www.statistik.baden-wuerttemberg.de/SRDB/Tabelle.asp?01035050GE221000 |archive-date=7 December 2008 }}</ref>

The following table shows the number of inhabitants within the boundaries of the city at the time. To 1833 they are mostly estimates, then census results or official updates of the statistical offices of the time or the city administration. The data refer from 1843 to the "local population", from 1925 to the resident population and since 1987 the "population at the site of their main dwelling." Prior to 1843 the population was determined by non-uniform collection procedures.

Heidelberg currently has a population of about 160,000 and is the 5th largest city in [[Baden-Württemberg]]. About 37,000 (24% of the population) are students, which makes Heidelberg one of the largest university cities in Germany. Heidelberg's population has grown since 1945 (after WWII) and has almost never declined due to the popularity of this city's academic and research strengths.

{{Historical populations|1439|5200|1588|6300|1784|10754|1875|22334|1900|40121|1910|56016|1919|60831|1925|73034|1933|84641|1945|95811|1950|116488|1956|121910|1961|125264|1965|125507|1970|129656|1975|129368|1980|133227|1985|134724|1990|136796|1995|138781|2000|140259|2005|142933|2010|147312|2015|156267|2020|159245|align=right|footnote=Population size may be affected by changes in administrative divisions.}}
<!-- Quelle: Statistisches Landesamt B-W. -->

Foreign Citizens made up 21.5% of the total population.

{|class="wikitable"
!Rank
!Breakdown of foreign Citizens
!Population (31 December 2023)<ref>{{cite report

 |title=Aktueller Bevölkerungsbericht

 |publisher=Stadt Heidelberg

 |url=https://www.heidelberg.de/site/Heidelberg2021/get/documents_E445770586/heidelberg/Objektdatenbank/61/12/PDF/Statistik/Bev%C3%B6lkerung,_Prognose,_Wanderungen/12_pdf_aktueller_Bevoelkerungsbericht.pdf

 |language=de

 |access-date=2026-05-27

}}</ref>
|-
|1||{{flag|Turkey}}|| 7.9%
|-
|2||{{flag|Ukraine}}|| 7.0%
|-
|3||{{flag|Italy}}|| 6.1%
|-
|4||{{flag|China}}|| 4.8%
|-
|5||{{flag|India}}|| 4.6%
|-
|6||Other Nationalities|| 70,6%
|}

With a [[fertility rate]] of 1.1 children per woman in the {{lang|de|Stadtkreis}} {{gloss|mode=def|county}}, Heidelberg had the lowest fertility rate in [[Baden-Württemberg]] in 2008.

==Politics==
Since 2006, the {{lang|de|Oberbürgermeister}} {{gloss|mode=def|lord mayor}} of Heidelberg has been the independent Eckart Würzner. From 1990 to 2006, the mayor was Beate Weber ([[Social Democratic Party of Germany|SPD]]).

The council consists of 48 members with the mayor as chairman. The council is directly elected for a term of five years. The task of the council is to decide all the affairs of the city, with the mayor presiding. The council controls the city administration and oversees the enforcement of its decisions.

Heidelberg has always been a stronghold of [[Alliance 90/The Greens|The Greens]]. For the municipal elections in 2009, they split into the Green Alternative List and Alliance 90/The Greens and each ran their own lists. Together they gained 10 seats to become the strongest force for the first time. In September 2011, two members of the GAL Group joined the Alliance 90/The Greens, so that together with the members of {{Not a typo|generation.hd}}, they formed the largest group in the council.

For elections to the [[Bundestag]], the city is part of the [[Heidelberg (electoral district)|Heidelberg]] [[List of Bundestag constituencies|constituency]].

===Mayor and city council===
The most recent mayoral election was held on 6 November 2022, with a runoff held on 27 November, and the results were as follows:

{{election table}}
! rowspan=2 colspan=2| Candidate
! rowspan=2| Party
! colspan=2| First round
! colspan=2| Second round
|-
! Votes
! %
! Votes
! %
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Independent politician}}|
| align=left| '''Eckart Würzner'''
| align=left| [[Independent politician|Independent]] ([[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|CDU]]/[[Free Democratic Party (Germany)|FDP]]/[[Free Voters|FW]])
| 25,111
| 45.9
| '''25,487'''
| '''54.0'''
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}|
| align=left| Theresia Bauer
| align=left| [[Alliance 90/The Greens]]
| 15,655
| 28.6
| 20,010
| 42.4
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Social Democratic Part of Germany}}|
| align=left| Sören Michelsburg
| align=left| [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|Social Democratic Party]]
| 7,410
| 13.5
| align=center colspan=2| ''Withdrew''
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Independent politician}}|
| align=left| Sofia Leser
| align=left| [[Independent politician|Independent]]
| 2,097
| 3.8
| align=center colspan=2| ''Withdrew''
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|The Left (Germany)}}|
| align=left| Bernd Zieger
| align=left| [[The Left (Germany)|The Left]]
| 1,991
| 3.6
| align=center colspan=2| ''Withdrew''
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Die PARTEI}}|
| align=left| Björn Leuzinger
| align=left| [[Die PARTEI]]
| 982
| 1.8
| 1,562
| 3.3
|-
| 
| align=left| Alina Papagiannaki-Sönmez
| align=left| Heidelberg in Motion
| 799
| 1.5
| align=center colspan=2| ''Withdrew''
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Independent politician}}|
| align=left| Mathias Schmitz
| align=left| [[Independent politician|Independent]]
| 342
| 0.6
| align=center colspan=2| ''Withdrew''
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Independent politician}}|
| align=left| Sassan Khajehali
| align=left| [[Independent politician|Independent]]
| 271
| 0.5
| align=center colspan=2| ''Withdrew''
|-
| colspan=3 align=left| ''Other''
| 67
| 0.1
| 113
| 0.2
|-
! colspan=3| Valid votes
! 54,715
! 99.7
! 47,172
! 99.5
|-
! colspan=3| Invalid votes
! 186
! 0.3
! 237
! 0.5
|-
! colspan=3| Total
! 54,901
! 100.0
! 47,409
! 100.0
|-
! colspan=3| Electorate/voter turnout
! 107,030
! 51.3
! 107,410
! 44.1
|-
| colspan=7| Source: City of Heidelberg ([https://wahlergebnisse.komm.one/lb/produktion/wahltermin-20221106/08221000/praesentation/ergebnis.html?wahl_id=786&stimmentyp=0&id=ebene_-5884_id_9647 1st round], [https://wahlergebnisse.komm.one/lb/produktion/wahltermin-20221106/08221000/praesentation/ergebnis.html?wahl_id=934&stimmentyp=0&id=ebene_-6018_id_9823 2nd round])
|}

The Heidelberg city council governs the city alongside the Mayor. The most recent city council election was held on 9 June 2024, and the results were as follows:

{{election table}}
! colspan=2| Party
! Votes
! %
! +/-
! Seats
! +/-
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}|
| align=left| [[Alliance 90/The Greens]] (Grüne)
| 828,031
| 26.4
| {{decrease}} 5.5
| 13
| {{decrease}} 3
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}|
| align=left| [[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|Christian Democratic Union]] (CDU)
| 457,787
| 14.6
| {{decrease}} 0.4
| 7
| {{steady}} 0
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|
| align=left| [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|Social Democratic Party]] (SPD)
| 388,434
| 12.4
| {{decrease}} 1.5
| 6
| {{decrease}} 1
|-
| 
| align=left| The Heidelbergers
| 336,053
| 10.7
| {{increase}} 3.7
| 5
| {{increase}} 2
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Volt Germany}}|
| align=left| [[Volt Germany]] (Volt)
| 180,828
| 5.8
| New
| 3
| New
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Alternative for Germany}}|
| align=left| [[Alternative for Germany]] (AfD)
| 174,115
| 5.5
| {{increase}} 0.5
| 3
| {{increase}} 1
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|The Left (Germany)}}|
| align=left| [[The Left (Germany)|The Left]] (Die Linke)
| 160,535
| 5.1
| {{decrease}} 0.8
| 2
| {{decrease}} 1
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}|
| align=left| [[Free Democratic Party (Germany)|Free Democratic Party]] (FDP)
| 156,307
| 5.0
| {{decrease}} 0.7
| 2
| {{decrease}} 1
|-
| 
| align=left| Heidelberg in Motion (HiB)
| 99,525
| 3.2
| {{increase}} 0.6
| 2
| {{increase}} 1
|-
| 
| align=left| Green Alternative List (GAL)
| 96,971
| 3.1
| {{decrease}} 1.6
| 1
| {{decrease}} 1
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Die PARTEI}}| 
| align=left| [[Die PARTEI]]
| 82,226
| 2.6
| {{decrease}} 0.1
| 1
| {{steady}} 0
|-
| 
| align=left| Colourful Left (Bunte Linke)
| 66,997
| 2.1
| {{decrease}} 1.8
| 1
| {{decrease}} 1
|-
| 
| align=left| Initiative for Democracy and Education (IDA)
| 55,975
| 1.8
| New
| 1
| New
|-
| 
| align=left| Free Voter Association (FWV)
| 38,910
| 1.2
| {{decrease}} 0.5
| 1
| {{steady}} 0
|-
| 
| align=left| Sofia Leser List
| 12,619
| 0.4
| New
| 0
| New
|-
! colspan=2| Valid votes
! 3,135,313
! 100.0
!
! 48
! ±0
|-
! colspan=2| Invalid ballots
! 1,449
! 2.0
| 
! 
! 
|-
! colspan=2| Total ballots
! 69,807
! 100.0
!
! 
! 
|-
! colspan=2| Electorate/voter turnout
! 107,904
! 66.0
! {{increase}} 1.1
!
!
|-
| colspan=7| Source: [https://wahlergebnisse.komm.one/lb/produktion/wahltermin-20240609/08221000/praesentation/ergebnis.html?wahl_id=3581&stimmentyp=0&id=ebene_-11810_id_19030 City of Heidelberg]
|}

==Cityscape==
===The old town===
[[File:2002-04-02 Heidelberger Rathaus IMG 0388.jpg|thumb|right|The marketplace, with Town Hall on the right]] [[File:Heidelberg - aus dem Schloss 1.jpg|thumb|right|Heidelberg's old city centre from the castle above]]

{{Pie chart
|thumb = right
|caption = Religion in Heidelberg (2011)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ergebnisse.zensus2011.de/#StaticContent:082210000000,BEG_4_2_6,RELIGION_AUSF-2,table|publisher=Statistische Ämter des Bundes und der Länder, 2014|title=Heidelberg, Stadt: Bevölkerung im regionalen Vergleich nach Religion (ausführlich) in %|access-date=19 June 2020|archive-date=5 June 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130605031517/https://ergebnisse.zensus2011.de/#StaticContent:082210000000,BEG_4_2_6,RELIGION_AUSF-2,table|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://kartenseite.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/brd_muslime_in_den_grossstaedten_beim_zensus2011_sortiert_nach_regionalschluessel-1.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200621235814/https://kartenseite.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/brd_muslime_in_den_grossstaedten_beim_zensus2011_sortiert_nach_regionalschluessel-1.pdf |archive-date=21 June 2020 |url-status=live |title=Muslime in den Großstädten beim Zensus 2011 |access-date=19 June 2020}}</ref>
|label1 = [[Protestant Church in Germany|Protestant Church]]
|value1 = 34.9
|color1 = DodgerBlue
|label2 = [[Catholic Church]]
|value2 = 30.1
|color2 = #0FA7FF
|label3 = [[Orthodoxy#Christianity|Orthodox Christianity]]
|value3 = 1.7
|color3 = DeepSkyBlue
|label4 = [[Evangelicalism|Evang. Free Church]]
|value4 = 1.2
|color4 = #89CFF0
|label5 = Other state-recognised church/religious community
|value5 = 3.2
|color5 = #E8AC41
|label6 = [[Islam]]
|value6 = 5.7
|color6 = #00A693
|label7 = Others or [[Irreligion|nonreligious]]
|value7 = 23.2
|color7 = LightGrey
}}
[[File:Heidelberg winter.jpg|thumb|right|View from the castle during winter, 2014]]

The "old town" ({{langx|de|link=no|Altstadt}}), on the south bank of the [[Neckar]], is long and narrow. It is dominated by the ruins of [[Heidelberg Castle]], 80 metres above the Neckar on the steep wooded slopes of the {{lang|de|[[Königstuhl (Odenwald)|Königstuhl]]}} {{gloss|mode=def|King's chair or throne}} hill.
* The Main Street ({{lang|de|Hauptstrasse}}), a mile-long pedestrian street, running the length of the old town.
* The [[Old Bridge (Heidelberg)|old stone bridge]] was erected 1786–1788. A medieval bridge gate is on the side of the old town, and was originally part of the town wall. Baroque tower helmets were added as part of the erection of the stone bridge in 1788.
* The [[Church of the Holy Spirit, Heidelberg|Church of the Holy Spirit]] ({{lang|de|Heiliggeistkirche}}), a [[Gothic architecture|late Gothic]] church in the marketplace of the old town.
* The Karls' gate ({{lang|de|Karlstor}}) is a triumphal arch in honour of the Prince Elector Karl Theodor, located at Heidelberg's east side. It was built 1775–1781 and designed by Nicolas de Pigage.
* The house {{lang|de|Zum Ritter Sankt Georg}} {{gloss|mode=def|Knight St. George}} is one of the few buildings to survive the War of Succession. Standing across from the Church of the Holy Spirit, it was built in the style of the late [[Renaissance]]. It is named after the sculpture at the top.
* The {{lang|de|Marstall}} {{gloss|mode=def|Stables}}, a 16th-century building on the Neckar that has served several purposes through its history. It is now a cafeteria for the university.

===Heidelberg Castle===
{{Main|Heidelberg Castle}}
[[File:Plan des Heidelberger Schlosses von Peter Friedrich von Walpergen um 1780.jpg|thumb|Historic map of [[Heidelberg Castle]]]]
[[File:Heidelberg Schloss Luftbild 2.JPG|thumb|right|Aerial view of Heidelberg Castle]]

The castle is a mix of styles from [[Gothic architecture|Gothic]] to [[Renaissance architecture|Renaissance]]. Prince Elector Ruprecht III (1398–1410) erected the first building in the inner courtyard as a royal residence. The building was divided into a ground floor made of stone and framework upper levels. Another royal building is located opposite the Ruprecht Building: the Fountain Hall. Prince Elector Philipp (1476–1508) is said to have arranged the transfer of the hall's columns from a decayed palace of [[Charlemagne]] from [[Ingelheim]] to Heidelberg.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the Prince Electors added two palace buildings and turned the fortress into a castle. The two dominant buildings at the eastern and northern side of the courtyard were erected during the rule of Ottheinrich (1556–1559) and Friedrich IV (1583–1610). Under Friedrich V (1613–1619), the main building of the west side was erected, the so-called "English Building".

The castle and its garden were destroyed several times during the [[Thirty Years' War]] and the Palatine War of Succession. As Prince Elector Karl Theodor tried to restore the castle, lightning struck in 1764, and ended all attempts at rebuilding. Later on, the castle was misused as a quarry; stones from the castle were taken to build new houses in Heidelberg. This was stopped in 1800 by Count Charles de Graimberg, who then began the process of preserving the castle.

Although the interior is in Gothic style, the King's Hall was not built until 1934. Today, the hall is used for festivities, e.g. dinner banquets, balls and theatre performances. During the Heidelberg Castle Festival in the summer, the courtyard is the site of open air musicals, operas, theatre performances, and classical concerts performed by the Heidelberg Philharmonics.

The castle is surrounded by a park, where the famous poet [[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe|Johann von Goethe]] once walked. The [[Heidelberger Bergbahn]] [[funicular]] railway runs from Kornmakt to the summit of the Königstuhl via the castle.

The castle looks over the entire city of Heidelberg and the Neckar Valley.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.schloss-heidelberg.de/en/home/|title=Schloss Heidelberg: Staatliche Schlösser und Gärten Baden-Württemberg|website=www.schloss-heidelberg.de|language=en|access-date=30 April 2018}}</ref>

===Philosophers' Walk===
On the northern side of the Neckar is located the Heiligenberg (''Saints' Mountain''), along the side of which runs the Philosophers' Walk ({{langx|de|link=no|Philosophenweg}}), with scenic views of the old town and castle. Traditionally, Heidelberg's philosophers and university professors would walk and talk along the pathway. Farther up the mountain lie the ruined 11th-century [[Monastery of St. Michael (Heidelberg)|Monastery of St. Michael]], the smaller Monastery of St. Stephen, a Nazi-era amphitheater, the so-called Pagan's hole and the remains of an earthen [[Celts|Celtic]] [[hill fort]] from the 4th century BC.

[[File:View on the old Heidelberg.jpg|thumb|700px|center|View from the so-called "Philosophers' Walk"
({{langx|de|link=no|Philosophenweg}}) towards the Old Town, with [[Heidelberg Castle]], [[Heidelberg Heiliggeist church|Heiliggeist Church]] and the Old Bridge]]

===Heidelberg churches===

There are many historical churches in Heidelberg and its surroundings. The [[Church of the Holy Spirit, Heidelberg|Church of the Holy Spirit]] has been shared over the centuries since the [[Protestant Reformation]] by both Catholics and Protestants. It is one of the few buildings to survive the many wars during the past centuries. It was rebuilt after the French set fire to it in 1709 during the [[War of the Grand Alliance|War of the Palatinian Succession]]. The church has remains of the tombs and epitaphs of the past Palatinate electors. This Church stands in the {{lang|de|Marktplatz}} next to the seat of local government. In 1720, Karl III Philip, Elector Palatine came into conflict with the town's Protestants as a result of giving the Church of the Holy Spirit exclusively to the Catholics for their use. It had previously been split by a partition and used by both congregations. Due to pressure by the mostly Protestant powers of Prussia, Holland, and Sweden, Prince Karl III Philip gave way and repartitioned the church for joint use. In 1936 the separating wall was removed. The church is now exclusively used by Protestants. Furthermore, there is the Catholic Church of the Jesuits. Its construction began in 1712. It was completed with the addition of a bell tower from 1866 to 1872. The church is also home to the Museum für sakrale Kunst und Liturgie (Museum of [[Ecclesiastical]] Arts). The oldest church in Heidelberg is the St. Peter's Church (now [[Lutheran]]). It was built some time during the 12th century.

[[File:Jesuitenkirche, Providenzkirche und Heiliggeistkirche in der Altstadt Heidelberg.jpg|700 px|thumb|center|From left: Jesuit Church, Providence Church and [[Church of the Holy Spirit, Heidelberg|Church of the Holy Spirit]] in Heidelberg's Old Town on the Neckar River]]

==Education==

===Universities and academia===
{{Main|Heidelberg University|List of Heidelberg University people}}
Heidelberg is known for its institutions of higher education. The most famous of those is [[Heidelberg University]]. Founded in 1386, it is one of Europe's oldest institutions. In fact, Heidelberg is the oldest [[college town|university town]] of today's Germany. Among the prominent thinkers associated with the institution are [[Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel]], [[Karl Jaspers]], [[Hans-Georg Gadamer]], [[Jürgen Habermas]], [[Karl-Otto Apel]], and [[Hannah Arendt]]. The campus is situated in two urban areas and several buildings. In numerous historical buildings in the old town there are the Faculties of the [[Humanities]], the [[Social Science]], and the Faculty of [[Jurisprudence|Law]]. The school of applied sciences is located in the ''Science Tower'' in Wieblingen. The Faculties of Medicine and [[Natural Science]] are settled on the Neuenheimer Feld Campus.

The campus of Heidelberg University has a total undergraduate enrollment of 30,898 as of 2014. The enrollment rate of this university is 16.3 percent. Less than 20 percent of the total student body is international. This university has many areas of study for national students such as; theology, law, philosophy, modern languages, economics, and social sciences. The university does not charge students for tuition. The school's academic calendar is semester based, and the majority of the language for instruction is in German. For international students the academic calendar is based on a block schedule. The international students attend in block periods of 5 weeks. The University or "Uni" is spread across three campuses each containing different fields of study.

[[File:Heidlbergaula.JPG|thumb|left|Old university hall]]
Since 1904 there has been a College of Educational Science, the {{lang|de|Pädagogische Hochschule Heidelberg}}; since 1979 there has been a college of Jewish Studies, the {{lang|de|[[Hochschule für Jüdische Studien Heidelberg]]}}. It comprises nine branches specializing in both religion and [[Judaism|Jewish culture]]. The [[Schiller International University]], a private American university is also represented with a campus in Heidelberg offering several undergraduate and graduate programs in the fields of International Business and International Relations and Diplomacy.

===Research===
[[File:EMBL campus Heidelberg.jpg|thumb|right|Buildings of [[European Molecular Biology Laboratory]] in Heidelberg, including the new Advanced Training Centre]]

In addition to the research centers and institutes of the university, there are numerous research institutions situated in the city of Heidelberg. Among them are the [[European Molecular Biology Laboratory]] (EMBL), [[European Molecular Biology Organization]] (EMBO), the [[German Cancer Research Center]] (DKFZ), [[Max Planck Institute for Medical Research]], [[Max Planck Institute for Astronomy]], [[Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics]], [[Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law]].

===Schools===
[[File:Fachhochschule Heidelberg.jpg|thumb|left|SRH Hochschule Heidelberg is one of the oldest and largest private universities in Germany.]]

Heidelberg is home to 23 elementary schools. There are several institutions of secondary education, both public and private, representing all levels of the [[German school system]]. There are 14 [[Gymnasium (Germany)|Gymnasium]]s, with six of them private. With 52% of secondary students attending a Gymnasium, Heidelberg sits above the German average, perhaps because a large number of academics live in Heidelberg and its environs.

The gymnasiums include the {{ill|Kurfürst-Friedrich-Gymnasium|de|Kurfürst-Friedrich-Gymnasium Heidelberg}}, {{ill|Bunsen-Gymnasium|de|Bunsen-Gymnasium Heidelberg}}, [[Helmholtz-Gymnasium Heidelberg|Helmholtz-Gymnasium]], Hölderlin-Gymnasium and Elisabeth-von-Thadden-Schule. Then there are seven [[Realschule]], ten [[Hauptschule]], and nine vocational schools (the so-called {{lang|de|[[Berufsschule]]}}). In addition, there are several [[folk high schools]] with different specialisations.<ref>[http://www.heidelberg.de/servlet/PB/menu/1012912/index.html]. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927044135/http://www.heidelberg.de/servlet/PB/menu/1012912/index.html|date=27 September 2011}}.</ref> [[Heidelberg International School]] serves the local expatriate community.

==Economy==
===Tourism===
In 2004, 81.8% of people worked for service industries, including tourism. As a relic of the period of Romanticism, Heidelberg has been labeled a "Romantic town". This is used to attract more than [https://www.heidelberg.de/english/Home/Life/Heidelberg+in+figures.html#:~:text=11.9%20million%20visitors.,11.9%20million%20visitors%20every%20year. 11.9 million visitors] every year. Many events are organized to attract visitors. One of the biggest tourist attractions is the Christmas market during the winter time.

===Industry===
Only 18% of employment is provided by industry. Printing and publishing are important enterprises; nearby [[Walldorf]] is a center of the IT industry and [[SAP SE|SAP]] World Headquarters. Noted pen manufacturer [[Lamy]] has its headquarters and factory in Heidelberg-Wieblingen. [[Heidelberger Druckmaschinen]] has its headquarters here; its factory is located in Walldorf. Soft-drink company Wild-Werke, manufacturer of the [[Capri-Sonne]] ([[Capri-Sun]] in the U.S.) is located nearby in Eppelheim. Heidelberg is also home to the headquarters of [[HeidelbergCement]], the world's second largest cement producer. The company has its roots in the suburb of Leimen where one of its cement plants is still located. With its long Hauptstraße, Heidelberg is a shopping destination for people from the surrounding smaller towns.

[[File:Heidelberger Druckmaschinen.jpg|thumb|right|Print Media Academy]]

===Roads===
The [[Bundesautobahn 5|A 5 autobahn]] runs through the western outskirts of Heidelberg, connecting the region to [[Frankfurt am Main]] in the north and [[Karlsruhe]] to the south. The [[Bundesautobahn 656|A 656]] commences just west of the city, connecting Heidelberg with [[Mannheim]]. Both highways meet at Heidelberg autobahn intersection in the city of Heidelberg, and the A 656 connects to the [[Bundesautobahn 6|A 6]] at the Mannheim autobahn intersection, which connects to the east towards [[Stuttgart]].

Furthermore, the [[Bundesstraße 3|B 3]] (Frankfurt–Karlsruhe) runs north–south through the town, and the B 37 (Mannheim–[[Eberbach (Baden)|Eberbach]]) runs east–west. Both meet in the city center at the Bismarckplatz. The [[Bundesstraße 535|B 535]] begin in the south of Heidelberg and runs to Schwetzingen.

====Tourist roads====
Heidelberg is located on four tourist roads: [[Bergstraße Route|Bergstraße]], [[Bertha Benz Memorial Route]], [[Castle Road]], and Straße der Demokratie (Road of Democracy).

===Railways===
[[Heidelberg Central Station]] (Hauptbahnhof) is on the [[Rhine Valley Railway]] and is served by [[Intercity-Express]], [[EuroCity in Germany|Euro City]] trains. This station is served by the [[RheinNeckar S-Bahn]]. There is also a station for [[intercity bus service]]s outside the central station.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.travelinho.com/en/travel/heidelberg|title=Heidelberg: Stations|publisher= Travelinho}}</ref>

===Public transport===
[[File:Heidelberg - EC - 2018-07-20 12-36-59.jpg|thumb|DB train [[Heidelberg Hauptbahnhof]]]]

The main transport hub of Heidelberg is the Bismarckplatz. Several main thoroughfares of the city intersect here and one of the longest pedestrian streets in Europe, the Hauptstraße (main street) runs from here through the entire old town of Heidelberg. Heidelberg Central Station was nearby for many years, which was a combined terminal and through station. In 1955, it was moved about 1.5&nbsp;km further to the west, which removed the necessity for trains continuing north or south to reverse. The new central station became the second major transport hub of Heidelberg.

Heidelberg has had a public transport service since 1883, when horse-drawn trams were established. Due to the rapidly rising patronage it was decided on 20 December 1901 to convert the [[Trams in Heidelberg|Heidelberg tramway network]] to electrical operation. On 16 March 1902, the first electric tram ran on Rohrbacher Straße, sharing use of the suburban tracks built by the {{lang|de|Deutsche Eisenbahn-Gesellschaft}} in 1901 between Heidelberg and [[Wiesloch]]. Until the 1950s, the tram network was expanded a bit at a time. The rapidly growing popularity of car transport presented the operator of the trams with increasingly difficult problems and the tram network was gradually dismantled. It was not until 10 December 2006 that the network was extended again with the opening of a new tram line from [[Heidelberg-Kirchheim|Kirchheim]]. Tram and bus services are now operated by [[Rhein-Neckar-Verkehr]] (RNV). Since 1989, all fares are set under a uniform scheme by the [[Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Neckar]] (Rhine-Neckar Transport Association, VRN). [[Carsharing]] increasingly provides a complement to public transport. More than 50 car-sharing stations are available to users in 12 of the 14 districts of Heidelberg offering a total of more than 100 cars.

[[File:Heidelberg - Bombardier RNV6 - RNV 4144 und RNV 4140 - 2016-08-25 14-39-04.jpg|thumb|Trams in Heidelberg]]

Since 14 December 2003, Heidelberg has been connected to the network of the [[Rhine-Neckar S-Bahn]], which opens up the entire Rhine-Neckar region, with lines connecting with the [[Palatinate (region)|Palatinate]], the [[Saarland]], and southern [[Hesse]].

The [[Heidelberger Bergbahn]] (Heidelberg Mountain Railway) has run since 2005 with new cars on the lower part from Kornmarkt to Molkenkur and historic cars built in 1907 on the upper section of the [[funicular]] from Molkenkur to [[Königstuhl (Odenwald)|Königstuhl]]. It is one of the most popular means to reach [[Heidelberg Castle]]. The first plans for the funicular were drawn up in 1873. Due to a lack of funds, the first section of the funicular was not opened until 1890. In 2004, the upper section of the funicular was listed as part of the heritage of the state of Baden-Württemberg.

===United States military installations===
{{See also|United States Army Garrison Heidelberg}}
[[File:Behoerdenzentrum Heidelberg.jpg|thumb|right|Behördenzentrum Heidelberg]]

During World War II, Heidelberg was one of the few major cities in Germany not significantly damaged by Allied bombing. Situated in the [[Allied-occupied Germany#American zone|American Zone]] of Germany, Heidelberg became the headquarters of the American forces in Europe. The main military facilities were [[Campbell Barracks]], the former Wehrmacht Grossdeutschland-Kaserne, which housed the US Army, Europe ([[USAREUR]]) and [[NATO]]'s Component Command-Land Headquarters. (Until 2004, this was designated Joint Headquarters Centre, and before that, LANDCENT).

Campbell Barracks and [[Mark Twain Village]] were both in [[Südstadt, Heidelberg|Südstadt]]; Patton Barracks was in nearby Kirchheim. Nachrichten Kaserne in [[Rohrbach, Heidelberg|Rohrbach]] was home to the former Heidelberg Army Hospital, later designated the Heidelberg Health Center. [[Patrick Henry Village]], the largest U.S. military housing area in the Heidelberg area, was west of Kirchheim. These installations, including Tompkins Barracks and Kilbourne Kaserne in nearby Schwetzingen, plus the Germersheim Depot, made up the U.S. Army Garrison Heidelberg. Tompkins Barracks was home to [http://www.imcom-europe.army.mil U.S. Army Installation Management Command Europe Region]. The Heidelberg U.S. Army Air Field (Heidelberg AAF) was converted to an heliport (mostly Blackhawk Helicopters) after the [[NATO]] [[Kosovo]] campaign.

[[File:Heidelberg Bahnstadt Langer Anger 2.JPG|thumb|left|The New city district of Heidelberg, [[Bahnstadt]], is one of the biggest [[passive house]] settlements in the world.]]

The children of [[United States Department of Defense]] employees based in Heidelberg attended on-base schools operated by the DODDS-E (Department of Defense Dependents Schools&nbsp;– Europe). There were three schools of this kind: [[Heidelberg High School]] in Mark Twain Village (Mark Twain Elementary School closed at the completion of the 2010–2011 school year), and [[Heidelberg Middle School]] and Patrick Henry Elementary in Patrick Henry Village.<ref>[http://www.eu.dodea.edu/schools/index.php?dId=2 Our Districts and Schools] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120814052444/http://www.eu.dodea.edu/schools/index.php?dId=2 |date=14 August 2012 }} Dependents Schools Europe website, accessed: 19 April 2009</ref>

On 19 October 2009, the U.S. Army announced that it would be building new headquarters for USAREUR in [[Wiesbaden]]. The move from Heidelberg took place in 2012 and 2013, and was completed in 2014.<ref>[http://www.bw.eur.army.mil/news/HPpdf/2010/July_1_2010.pdf Heidelberg, Mannheim to close by 2015] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120330175747/http://www.bw.eur.army.mil/news/HPpdf/2010/July_1_2010.pdf |date=30 March 2012 }}, HeraldPost Vol. 35 No. 38, accessed: 22 October 2011.</ref> By 2015 all United States forces had left Heidelberg. The barracks and the housing areas were returned to the German state for conversion to civilian use.

==Culture==

===Events===
Several festivals and events hosted and organized in Heidelberg throughout the year. In February, the {{lang|de|Ball der Vampire}} {{gloss|mode=def|Ball of the Vampires}}<ref>[http://www.heidelberg-marketing.de/content/e904/e911/e7697/index_ger.html]. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101030032923/http://www.heidelberg-marketing.de/content/e904/e911/e7697/index_ger.html|date=30 October 2010}}.</ref> is arranged and [[Carnival in Germany, Switzerland and Austria|Fasching]], the equivalent of Mardi Gras or Carnival in some German regions, with a giant vampire-themed costume party at the local castle or city hall is celebrated. In March or April the [[Heidelberger Frühling]], the Classic Music Festival and the international Easter egg market are conducted. During the last weekend of April there is an annually organized half marathon. In the summertime there are the {{lang|de|Frühlingsmesse}} on the Messeplatz (May) and Illumination of the castle and bridge with lights and fireworks take place. In September, on the last Saturday the ''Old Town Autumn Festival'' is held.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.heidelberg-marketing.de/en/events/highlights/heidelberger-herbst.html|title=Heidelberger Herbst|website=www.heidelberg-marketing.de|access-date=25 August 2019|archive-date=11 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190811180559/https://www.heidelberg-marketing.de/en/events/highlights/heidelberger-herbst.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> It includes a Medieval Market, an arts and crafts market, a flea market, and music from Samba to Rock. During October or November there are the ''Heidelberger Theater Days'' and the [[Enjoy Jazz]] festival. Every year in November the [[International Filmfestival Mannheim-Heidelberg]] take place in the city, too. The festival presents arthouse films of international newcomer directors and is held jointly by both of the cities.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mannheim-filmfestival.com/ |title=Internationales FilmFestival Mannheim-Heidelberg &#124; |publisher=Mannheim-filmfestival.com |date=18 October 2012 |access-date=8 November 2012}}</ref> During Christmas there is a Christmas market throughout the oldest part of the city. A famous gift is the chocolate called Heidelberger {{lang|de|Studentenkuss}} {{gloss|mode=def|student kiss}}.

===Cinemas===

The nationwide trend of cinema closures hit Heidelberg harder than many other places in Germany.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rnz.de/nachrichten/heidelberg_artikel,-rnz-HDKreis-Der-angekuendigte-Tod-des-Heidelberger-Kinos-_arid,56873.html|title=Der angekündigte Tod des Heidelberger Kinos|website=www.rnz.de|language=de|access-date=25 August 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://ww2.heidelberg.de/stadtblatt-online/index.php?artikel_id=8453&bf=|title=Stadt Heidelberg – Stadtblatt Online|website=ww2.heidelberg.de|access-date=25 August 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://2006-2013.ruprecht.de/nachrichten/archive/2011/may/22/article/kinosterben-geht-weiter/|title=Kinosterben geht weiter|website=2006–2013.ruprecht.de|language=de|access-date=25 August 2019}}</ref>

Recent years saw the low-point of this development, when in this city of over 150,000 people there were just three small cinemas left, with a total capacity of under 450 seats.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.stuttgarter-zeitung.de/inhalt.film-krise-in-heidelberg-in-der-kinohochburg-geht-bald-das-licht-aus-page1.be520c8b-3a58-4d93-a41b-a7c017e2339f.html|title=Film-Krise in Heidelberg: Dem Kinosterben soll entgegnet werden|first=Stuttgarter Zeitung, Stuttgart|last=Germany|website=stuttgarter-zeitung.de}}</ref> The situation has slightly improved since late 2017, when Heidelberg got a new multiplex adjacent to the new Bahnstadt development, the "Luxor Filmpalast".

Luxor shows mainly [[Blockbuster (entertainment)|Blockbuster movies]] in German, but some showings in English are on offer for selected films.<ref>heidelberg-bahnstadt-teileroeffnung-vom-kino-luxor-filmpalast-am-23-november-9388433.html</ref>

The small 2-screen cinema "Gloria/Gloriette" (Old Town), together with the affiliated "Kamera" (Neuenheim) offers arthouse and independent films, with some showings being offered in the films original language, usually with German subtitles.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.gloria-kamera-kinos.de/original-versions.php|title=GLORIA – GLORIETTE – DIE KAMERA &#124; Original Versions|website=www.gloria-kamera-kinos.de|access-date=28 August 2018|archive-date=28 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180828134622/http://www.gloria-kamera-kinos.de/original-versions.php|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The non-profit "Karlstorkino" (at the far eastern edge of the Old Town, next to the river) offers international arthouse fare and the occasional documentary. The vast majority of non-German films at this cinema are shown in their original language with either English or German subtitles, depending on the film.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.karlstorkino.de/originalversions/|title=Original Versions / Originalversionen|website=www.karlstorkino.de}}</ref>

===Museums and exhibitions===
Among the most prominent museums of Heidelberg are for instance the Carl Bosch Museum which shows life and work of chemist and Nobel Prize-winner [[Carl Bosch]]. Then there is the [[Documentation and Culture Centre of German Sinti and Roma]] (Dokumentations- und Kulturzentrum Deutscher Sini und Roma) describing the Nazi genocide of the [[Sinti]] and [[Romani people|Roma]] peoples. The German Packing Museum (Deutsches Verpackungsmuseum) gives an overview of the history of packing and wrapping goods, whereas the German Pharmacy Museum (Deutsches Apothekenmuseum) which is located in the castle illustrates the history of Pharmacy in Germany. The {{lang|de|[[Kurpfälzisches Museum]]}} {{gloss|mode=def|Palatinate Museum}} offers a great art collection and some Roman archeological artifacts from the region. In honour of [[Friedrich Ebert]] the [[President Friedrich Ebert Memorial]], which commemorates the life of Germany's first democratic head of state, was established. Besides, there are guided tours in most of the historical monuments of Heidelberg, as well as organized tourist tours through the city available in several languages.

===Heidelberg Romanticism<!--movement names are capitalized (cf. 'German Romanticism'); 'Heidelberg Romanticism', 'Heidelberg romanticism', 'Heidelberg Romantics' and 'Heidelberg romantics' redirect here-->===
[[File:Carl Philipp Fohr 001.jpg|thumb|Romantic view of [[Heidelberg Castle]] ruins by [[Karl Philipp Fohr]], 1815, Hessisches Landesmuseum Darmstadt]]

Heidelberg was the centre of the epoch of {{lang|de|Romantik}} ([[German Romanticism|Romanticism]]) in Germany. The phase after [[Jena Romanticism]] is often called '''Heidelberg Romanticism'''<!--boldface per WP:R#PLA--> (see also [[Berlin Romanticism]]). There was a famous circle of poets (the '''Heidelberg Romantics'''<!--boldface per WP:R#PLA-->), such as [[Joseph von Eichendorff]], [[Johann Joseph von Görres]], [[Ludwig Achim von Arnim]], and [[Clemens Brentano]]. A relic of Romanticism is the Philosophers' Walk ({{langx|de|link=no|Philosophenweg}}), a scenic walking path on the nearby Heiligenberg, overlooking Heidelberg.

The {{lang|de|Romantik}} epoch of German philosophy and literature, was described as a movement against classical and realistic theories of literature, a contrast to the rationality of the [[Age of Enlightenment]]. It elevated [[medievalism]] and elements of art and narrative perceived to be from the medieval period. It also emphasized folk art, nature, and an epistemology based on nature, which included human activity conditioned by nature in the form of language, custom and usage.

===Old Heidelberg===
{{Further|Alt Heidelberg (play)}}
In 1901 [[Wilhelm Meyer-Förster]] wrote the play ''[[Old Heidelberg (play)|Old Heidelberg]]'' which was followed by a large number of film adaptations. It was the basis for [[Sigmund Romberg]]'s 1924 operetta ''[[The Student Prince]]'' which was itself turned into a [[The Student Prince (film)|film of the same title]].

==="I Lost My Heart in Heidelberg"===
{{Further|I Lost My Heart in Heidelberg (song)}}
The 1925 song "I Lost My Heart in Heidelberg" composed by [[Fred Raymond]] was a major hit and inspired a stage musical and two films. It remains the theme song of Heidelberg.

==Sport==
[[File:cmglee_Heidelberg_Neckar_watersports.jpg|thumb|Kayaking, sailing and rowing near the Neckarinsel at sunset]]

Heidelberg is one of the centres of [[Rugby union in Germany]], along with [[Hanover]]. In [[Rugby-Bundesliga 2008-09|2008–09]], four out of nine clubs in the [[Rugby-Bundesliga]] were from Heidelberg, these being [[RG Heidelberg]], who play at the [[Fritz-Grunebaum-Sportpark]], [[SC Neuenheim]], [[Heidelberger RK]], and [[TSV Handschuhsheim]]. [[Heidelberger TV]] has a rugby department.

[[Rugby league in Germany|Rugby League Deutschland]] has two teams based in Heidelberg, Heidelberg Sharks formed in 2005 and Rohrbach Hornets formed in 2007.

[[File:Academics Heidelberg huddle.jpg|thumb|230px|Academics Heidelberg huddle in January 2023.]]

The city is also home to the [[USC Heidelberg]] (Academics Heidelberg), which won 9 [[German Basketball Championship]]s and remains the second most successful team in the history of German professional basketball. Today, the club plays in Germany's second division [[ProA]]. It is primarily known for its youth department which developed several members of [[Germany's senior national basketball team]].

{{ill|Heidelberger SC|de}} and [[SG Heidelberg-Kirchheim]] are local [[association football|football]] teams.

The city hosted events during the [[1972 Summer Paralympics]].

They also hosted the 2019 WU24 Championships from 13 to 20 July. It was the fifth edition of this world championship and marked the third time Germany has hosted an [[ultimate frisbee]] tournament.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://wfdf.org/news-media/news/press/2-official-communication/854-wfdf-announces-that-the-wfdf-2019-world-under-24-ultimate-championships-will-be-in-heidelberg-ger |title=WFDF announces that the WFDF 2019 World Under-24 Ultimate Championships will be in Heidelberg, GER |website=wfdf.org |date=22 May 2018 |access-date=11 May 2019}}</ref>

Germany's oldest tennis club, which was founded in 1890, is located in Heidelberg.

==Twin towns – sister cities==
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Germany}}
Heidelberg is [[Sister city|twinned]] with:<ref>{{cite web |title=Partnerstädte|url=https://www.heidelberg.de/hd/HD/Leben/Partnerstaedte.html|website=heidelberg.de|publisher=Heidelberg|language=de|access-date=13 February 2021}}</ref>
{{div col|colwidth=24em}}
* {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Montpellier]], France (1961)
* {{flagicon|UK}} [[Cambridge]], United Kingdom (1965)
* {{flagicon|ISR}} [[Rehovot]], Israel (1983)
* {{flagicon|GER}} [[Bautzen]], Germany (1991)
* {{flagicon|UKR}} [[Simferopol]], Ukraine (1991)
* {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Kumamoto]], Japan (1992)
* {{flagicon|USA}} [[Palo Alto, California|Palo Alto]], United States (2017)
* {{flagicon|CHN}} [[Hangzhou]], China (2017)

===Friendly cities===
Heidelberg also has friendly relations with:
* {{flagicon|PHL}} [[Calamba, Laguna|Calamba]], Philippines
* {{flagicon|SAF}} [[Heidelberg, Gauteng|Heidelberg]], South Africa
* {{flagicon|POL}} [[Jelenia Góra]], Poland
* {{flagicon|BIH}} [[Mostar]], Bosnia and Herzegovina
{{div col end}}

==In popular culture==
{{unreferenced section|date=December 2021}}

===Movies, TV and games===
* Heidelberg features in the 1968 film ''[[The Girl on a Motorcycle]]'', the university being the ultimate destination of [[Marianne Faithfull]]'s character.
* Heidelberg also features during a mission in the [[Electronic Arts]] strategy game ''[[Red Alert 3]]''.
* ''[[Morris from America]]'' takes place in Heidelberg.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chang |first=Justin |date=2016-01-23 |title=Sundance Film Review: ‘Morris From America’ |url=https://variety.com/2016/film/festivals/morris-from-america-review-sundance-1201686482/ |access-date=2026-05-31 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref>
* In the ''[[Watchmen (TV series)|Watchmen]]'' TV series which serves as alternate direct sequels to the original ''Watchmen'' graphic novel, Dr. Manhattan, aka Jonathan "Jon" Osterman, is said to be born in Heidelberg, Germany and immigrates to the US along with his father.
* Heidelberg is revealed to be the hometown of [[Sergeant Schultz]] on ''[[Hogan's Heroes]]''.
* in a [[Hallmark Channel]] movie: ''A Heidelberg Holiday''. (15 November 2023)
* In the sitcom ''[[The Big Bang Theory]]'', [[Sheldon Cooper]] said he went to [[Heidelberg University]] as a visiting professor when he was a teenager. This is confirmed in the spin-off series ''[[Young Sheldon]]'', where several episodes in Season 7 take place there.

===Literature===
* [[Heidelberg Castle]] forms the setting for the beginning of [[Mark Twain]]'s story ''[[The Awful German Language]]''.
* Most of [[David Lodge (author)|David Lodge]]'s novel ''[[Out of the Shelter]]'' takes place in Heidelberg in 1951 during the American occupation after [[World War II]].
* Heidelberg is the home of a professional [[Quidditch]] team operating within the fictional [[Harry Potter universe]]: the [[Heidelberg Harriers]] have been described as "fiercer than a dragon and twice as clever".<ref>{{cite book |first=Kennilworthy |last=Whisp |title=Quidditch Through the Ages |year=2001 |publisher=WhizzHard Books |pages=[https://archive.org/details/quidditchthrough00whis/page/31 31–46] |isbn=1-55192-454-4|title-link=Quidditch Through the Ages }}</ref>
* Heidelberg is the residence of Nina Fortner in [[Naoki Urasawa]]'s manga series ''[[Monster (manga)|Monster]]''.
* Heidelberg also features in [[Somerset Maugham]]'s ''[[Of Human Bondage]]'' and its film versions.
* Heidelberg also is he setting of some German crime novels, for example by [[Wolfgang Burger]] (protagonist: Detective Gerlach) or [[Carlo Schäfer]] (protagonist: Detective Theurer).
* Band of Brothers — Stephen E. Ambrose’s Band of Brothers recounts Easy Company’s passage through Heidelberg; Ambrose records David K. Webster’s admiration for the city, describing its intact buildings, river promenade and collegiate atmosphere and calling Heidelberg, in effect, “paradise.” <ref>{{cite book |last=Ambrose |first=Stephen E. |title=Band of Brothers: E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne: From Normandy to Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest |publisher=Simon & Schuster |year=1992 |isbn=9780671769222}}</ref>
==Notable people==
{{More citations needed section|date=October 2025}}

=== Public service and business ===
[[File:Friedrich Ebert face.jpg|thumb|right|110px|[[Friedrich Ebert]], first [[President of Germany (1919–1945)|president of Germany]], 1925]]
[[File:King Ananda Mahidol portrait photograph.jpg|thumb|110px|[[Ananda Mahidol]], 1946]]
[[File:Harbarth-Stephan-Portrait-2017-1.jpg|thumb|110px|[[Stephan Harbarth]], 2017]]

* [[Franciscus Junius (the younger)|Franciscus Junius]] (1591–1677), pioneer of Germanic philology<ref>{{Cite EB1911 |wstitle= Junius, Franz |volume= 15 |page= 559; see para (2) Franz Junius (1589–1677), son of the above, was born at Heidelberg,....|last= |first= |author-link= |short=1}}</ref> 
* [[Frederick Schomberg, 1st Duke of Schomberg]] (1615–1690), army officer, died at the [[Battle of the Boyne]]<ref>{{Cite EB1911 |wstitle= Schomberg, Friedrich Hermann |volume= 24 |pages= 357-358 |last= |first= |author-link= |short=1}}</ref>
* [[Karl Philipp von Wrede]] (1767–1838), Bavarian [[field marshal]]<ref>{{Cite EB1911 |wstitle= Wrede, Karl Philipp, Prince von |volume= 28 |pages= 842-843 |last= |first= |author-link= |short=1}}</ref>
* [[Nicholas Trübner]] (1817–1884), German-English publisher, bookseller and linguist<ref>{{cite DNB|wstitle= Trübner, Nicholas |volume= 57 |last= Lane-Poole |first= Stanley |author-link= Stanley Lane-Poole |pages= 262-263 |year= |short=1}}</ref>
* [[José Rizal]] (1861–1896), national hero of the [[Philippines]]; attended local medical lectures in 1880s<ref>{{CathEncy|wstitle= José Mercado Rizal |volume= 13 |last= Finegan |first= P.M. |author-link= |year=1913|short= 1}}</ref>
* [[Friedrich Ebert]] (1871–1925), president of Germany 1919–1925<ref>{{cite EB1922 |wstitle= Ebert, Friedrich |volume = 30 |last= Karsten |first= Carl |author-link= |short= 1}}</ref>
* [[Marie Bernays]] (1883–1939), politician, educator, writer and women's rights activist; lived and studied locally
* [[Charles A. Willoughby]] (1892–1972), [[Major general (United States)|major general]] in the [[United States Army|U.S. Army]]
* [[Hans-Georg Gadamer]] (1900–2002), [[Heidelberg University]] philosophy chair 1949–1968
* [[Hermann Röhn]] (1902–1946), Nazi Party official and convicted war criminal
* [[Albert Speer]] (1905–1981), German architect and [[Cabinet Hitler|Third Reich minister]], lived locally in his youth
* [[Hans Kroh]] (1907–1967), German officer in Wehrmacht and Bundeswehr
* [[:de:Ferdinand Thomas (Widerstandskämpfer)|Ferdinand Thomas (DE Wiki)]] (1913–1944), resistance fighter
* [[Ananda Mahidol]] (1925–1946), [[Monarchy of Thailand|king of Thailand]] 1935–1946, born locally
* [[Klaus Schütz]] (1926–2012), politician (SPD); mayor of [[West Berlin]] 1967–1977
* [[Ernst Albrecht (politician, born 1930)|Ernst Albrecht]] (1930–2014), politician (CDU), minister-president of Lower Saxony, father of [[Ursula von der Leyen]]
* [[Heinz-Georg Baus]] (1934–2016), billionaire businessman, owned [[Bauhaus (company)|Bauhaus AG]]
* [[Hubert Burda]] (born 1940), billionaire publisher, owns [[Hubert Burda Media]]
* [[Hans-Peter Wild]] (born 1941), Swiss businessman and lawyer, owns [[Capri-Sun]] 
* [[Paul Kirchhof]] (born 1943), former justice of the [[Federal Constitutional Court]], then [[Heidelberg University|local]] law professor 
* [[Romani Rose]] (born 1946), [[Romani people|Romany]] activist and head of the [[Central Council of German Sinti and Roma]]
* [[Bernd Schmitt]] (born 1957), marketing professor at [[Columbia University]]
* [[Marc S. Ellenbogen]] (born 1963), entrepreneur and philanthropist, nominated by [[Barack Obama]] to be [[List of ambassadors of Germany to the United States|U.S. ambassador]]
* [[Oliver Zipse]] (born 1964), business executive, [[Chief executive officer|CEO]] of [[BMW]] since 2019
* [[Theresia Bauer]] (born 1965), politician (Green), local member of the [[Landtag of Baden-Württemberg]]
* [[Becca Balint]] (born 1968), [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. representative]] for [[Vermont]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=BALINT, Becca |url=https://bioguide.congress.gov/search/bio/B001318 |access-date=October 4, 2025 |website=Biographical Directory of the United States Congress}}</ref>
* [[Jan Hatzius]] (born 1968), chief economist at [[Goldman Sachs]] since 2011
* [[Christoph Ahlhaus]] (born 1969), politician ([[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|CDU]]), mayor of Hamburg 2010/2011
* [[Albrecht Schütte]] (born 1970), politician ([[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|CDU]])
* [[Stephan Harbarth]] (born 1971), president of the [[Federal Constitutional Court]], former lawyer and [[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|CDU]] politician
* [[Emily Perez]] (1983–2006), [[Second lieutenant|2nd lieutenant]] in the [[United States Army|US Army]], first female graduate of [[United States Military Academy|West Point]] to die in Iraq
* [[Moritz Oppelt]] (born 1989), politician (CDU)

=== Arts===
[[File:Zelfportret Caspar Netscher - Rijksmuseum SK-A-2666.jpg|thumb|110px|[[Caspar Netscher]], self portrait]]
[[File:12 Years a Slave 18 (9733817928).jpg|thumb|110px|[[Michael Fassbender]], 2013]]

* [[Caspar Netscher]] (1639–1684), Dutch portrait and genre painter<ref>{{Cite EB1911 |wstitle= Netscher, Gaspar |volume= 19 |page= 421 |last= |first= |author-link= |short=1}}</ref>
* [[Joseph Görres]] (1776–1848), writer, philosopher, theologian, historian and local University lecturer<ref>{{Cite EB1911 |wstitle= Görres, Johann Joseph von |volume= 12 |pages= 260-261 |short=1}}</ref>
* brothers [[Karl Philipp Fohr]] (1795–1818) & [[Daniel Fohr]] (1801–1862), painters
* [[Carl Rottmann]] (1797–1850), landscape painter<ref>{{Cite NIE |wstitle= Rottmann, Karl |volume= XVII | page= |short=1}}</ref>
* [[Charles Beck]] (1798–1866), American classical scholar<ref>{{cite Appletons'|wstitle= Beck, Charles |volume = I |page= 212 |short= 1}}</ref>
* [[Ernst Fries]] (1801–1833), painter, worked on a transition from [[Romanticism]] to [[Realism (arts)|Realism]]
* [[Jakob Götzenberger]] (1802–1866), mural painter and portraitist<ref>{{Cite NIE |wstitle= Götzenberger, Jakob |volume= IX | page= |short=1}}</ref>
* [[Caroline Bauer]] (1807–1877), actress of the [[Biedermeier]] era
* [[Ernst Jünger]] (1895–1998), German author, officer, botanist and entomologist, wrote ''[[Storm of Steel]]'' 
* [[Muhammad Iqbal]] (1877–1938), [[South Asia]]n poet and philosopher; studied locally
* [[Marie Marcks]] (1922–2014), graphic artist and cartoonist; the "grande dame of [[Political cartoon|political caricature]]"
* [[Viola Farber]] (1931–1998), American choreographer and dancer
* [[Christoph Luitpold Frommel]] (1933-2026), German art historian
* [[Michael Hampe]] (1935–2022), theatre and opera director
* [[Bernhard Schlink]] (born 1944), lawyer, academic and novelist; wrote ''[[The Reader]]''
* [[Jackson Browne]] (born 1948), singer-songwriter and musician
* [[:de:Nico Hofmann|Nico Hofmann, (DE Wiki)]] (born 1959), film director, film producer, screenwriter and businessman
* [[Arvid Boecker]] (born 1964), painter and curator, lives and works locally
* [[Bettina Belitz]] (born 1973), writer and journalist
* [[Ellen Ehni]] (born 1973), journalist and TV editor
* [[Sanna Englund]] (born 1975), actress
* [[Michael Fassbender]] (born 1977), German-Irish actor
* [[Paul Ripke]] (born 1981), [[Fashion photography|fashion]] and [[sports photographer]] and [[music video director]] 
* [[Marcel Cartier]] (born 1984), hip-hop artist, journalist, filmmaker, writer and political commentator

=== Science ===
[[File:Ketterle.jpg|thumb|110px|[[Wolfgang Ketterle]], 2007]]

* [[Heinrich Georg Bronn]] (1800–1862), geologist and paleontologist<ref>{{Cite EB1911 |wstitle= Bronn, Heinrich Georg |volume= 4 |page= 637 |short=1}}</ref> 
* [[Robert Bunsen]] (1811–1899), German chemist, developed the [[Bunsen burner]]; died locally<ref>{{Cite EB1911 |wstitle= Bunsen, Robert Wilhelm von |volume= 4 |page= 801 |short=1}}</ref>
* [[Emil Bessels]] (1847–1888), zoologist, entomologist, physician, and Arctic researcher<ref>{{cite Appletons'|wstitle= Bessels, Emil |volume = I |page= 251 |short= 1}}</ref>
* [[Carl Bosch]] (1874–1940) chemist and engineer, awarded [[Nobel Prize in Chemistry]] in 1931
* [[Karl Wilhelm Reinmuth]] (1892–1979), astronomer and a prolific discoverer of 395 minor planets
* [[Ernst Ruska]] (1906–1988), physicist who won the [[Nobel Prize in Physics]] in 1986, worked on [[electron optics]]
* [[Harald zur Hausen]] (1936–2023), [[virology|virologist]], awarded [[Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine]] in 2008, died locally
* [[Theodor W. Hänsch]] (born 1941), physicist, won one-fourth of the 2005 [[Nobel Prize in Physics]] for [[spectroscopy]]
* [[Wolfgang Ketterle]] (born 1957), physicist, professor at [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology|MIT]], awarded [[Nobel Prize in Physics]] in 2001

=== Sport ===
[[File:2022 Hansi Flick (cropped).jpg|thumb|110px|[[Hansi Flick]], 2022]]

* [[Helene Mayer]] (1910–1953), German and American fencer, gold medallist at the [[1928 Summer Olympics]], died locally
* [[Dieter Freise]] (1945–2018), field hockey player, team gold medallist at the [[1972 Summer Olympics]]
* [[Günter Haritz]] (born 1948), retired road and track cyclist, Team Pursuit gold medallist at the [[1972 Summer Olympics]]
* [[Michael Peter]] (1949–1997), field hockey player, team captain gold medallist at the [[1972 Summer Olympics]] 
* [[Volker Weidler]] (born 1962), retired racing driver, won the [[24 Hours of Le Mans]] in 1991
* [[Hansi Flick]] (born 1965), football player and manager of the [[FC Barcelona]] football team
* [[Nelson Piquet Jr.]] (born 1985), Brazilian former [[Formula One]] racing driver, son of [[Nelson Piquet]] (born 1952)
* [[Kehoma Brenner]] (born 1986), rugby union player, played 46 games for [[Germany national rugby union team]]
* [[Juan José Chang]] (born 1987), football manager of the [[Samoa women's national football team]]
* [[Ashley Wagner]] (born 1991), American figure skater, bronze medallist at [[Figure skating at the 2014 Winter Olympics|2014 Winter Olympics]]
* [[Jonas Hofmann]] (born 1992), footballer, played over 330 games and 23 for [[Germany national football team|Germany]]
* [[Elisabeth Seitz]] (born 1993), Olympic [[Artistic gymnastics|artistic gymnast]]
* [[Malaika Mihambo]] (born 1994), long jumper, gold medallist at the [[Athletics at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Women's long jump|2020 Summer Olympics]] and world champion in [[2019 World Athletics Championships – Women's long jump|2019]] and [[2022 World Athletics Championships – Women's long jump|2022]]
[[File:Kurfyrst Frederik V af Pfalz.jpg|thumb|right|110px|[[Frederick V of the Palatinate|Frederick V]]; [[List of Counts Palatine of the Rhine|Elector Palatine]], [[King of Bohemia]]]]

=== Aristocracy ===
* [[Louis I, Count of Löwenstein]] (1463–1523), founded the House of [[Lowenstein-Wertheim]]<ref>{{Cite EB1911 |wstitle= Löwenstein |volume= 17 |pages= 77-78 |last= |first= |author-link= |short=1}}</ref>
* [[Frederick V of the Palatinate|Frederick V]] (1596–1632), Count Palatine and elector of the Palatinate 1610–1623 and king of Bohemia (as "Frederick I"); fought the [[Siege of Heidelberg (1622)|Siege of Heidelberg]] in 1622<ref>{{Cite EB1911 |wstitle= Frederick V. |volume= 11 |page= 59 |last= |first= |author-link= |short=1}}</ref>
* [[Silvia Renate Sommerlath]] (born 1943), [[Monarchy of Sweden|queen of Sweden]]

==See also==
{{Portal|Baden-Württemberg|Germany}}
* [[Heidelberg Center for American Studies]]
* [[Heidelberg University]]
* [[Schiller International University]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book |last=Cser |first=Andreas |language=de |title=Kleine Geschichte der Stadt Heidelberg und ihrer Universität |trans-title=Short history of the city of Heidelberg and its University |publisher=Verlag G. Braun |location=Karlsruhe |year=2007 |isbn=978-3-7650-8337-2 }}
* {{Cite book |last=Remy |first=Steven P. |title=The Heidelberg Myth: The Nazification and Denazification of a German University |publisher=Harvard University Press |location=Cambridge |year=2002 |isbn=0-674-00933-9 }}
* {{Citation |publisher = Karl Baedeker |location = Leipsic |title = The Rhine from Rotterdam to Constance |chapter-url = https://archive.org/stream/rhinefromrotter00karl#page/232/mode/2up |chapter=Heidelberg |date = 1882 |oclc = 7416969 }}
* {{Citation |publisher = Karl Baedeker |location = Leipzig |title = The Rhine, including the Black Forest & the Vosges |chapter-url = https://archive.org/stream/rhineincludingb00firgoog#page/n506/mode/2up |chapter=Heidelberg |date = 1911 |oclc = 21888483 }}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Heidelberg}}
* {{Wikivoyage-inline|Heidelberg}}
* {{cite EB1911|wstitle=Heidelberg |volume=13 |pages=209–211 |short=x}}
* [https://www.heidelberg.de/ Official site of Heidelberg]; a small English section is available
* [https://www.heidelberg-schloss.de Audio tour of the Castle of Heidelberg]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20041210083513/http://www.heidelberg.army.mil/ U.S. Army Garrison Heidelberg homepage]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20061019093410/http://www.heid-hs.eu.dodea.edu/ Official site of Heidelberg American High School]

{{Geographic location
|Centre    = Heidelberg
|North     = [[Darmstadt]], Frankfurt
|Northeast = [[Aschaffenburg]], [[Würzburg]]
|East      = ''[[Odenwald]]''
|Southeast = [[Heilbronn]], [[Schwäbisch Hall]]
|South     = [[Karlsruhe]], [[Stuttgart]]
|Southwest = [[Speyer]], [[Landau]]
|West      = [[Kaiserslautern]]
|Northwest = [[Mannheim]]
}}
{{Cities in Germany}}
{{Paralympic Summer Games Host Cities}}
{{Germany tourism Heidelberg area}}
{{Germany_districts baden-württemberg}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Heidelberg| ]]
[[Category:Cities in Baden-Württemberg]]
[[Category:Karlsruhe (region)]]
[[Category:Odenwald]]
[[Category:Holocaust locations in Germany]]
[[Category:Populated places on the Neckar basin]]
[[Category:Populated riverside places in Germany]]
[[Category:Urban districts of Baden-Württemberg]]